The Reverend's Daughter (Book 2 after The Duke's Daughter)

Twenty Two Part One

The next morn, the storm was less ferocious. A steady rain and choppy seas were all that remained of the tempest. The lightning had passed, taking the roaring thunder with it, as it moved out to sea.

Violet, Betsy, and Brutus remained in the galley after all had broken their fast, they were lingering over their coffees and tea.

"It was a penguin, I say, and I have no idea what it means, do you?" Brutus had been telling Vi and Betsy about his dream from the night before.

"And you were kissing the penguin?" Betsy asked, with laughter in her voice.

"Not at first. At first she was a siren of the first water, with ebony hair and golden eyes, and yes, I was kissing her madly. However, she then turned into a penguin, and I did not know how to tell her that I should not be interested any longer."

Brutus' perplexed face made Violet laugh aloud. "Was it a p-p-pretty penguin?" Violet could hardly get the words out before he carried on laughing.

"I do not know, I just know it was quite strange to be kissing one." Brutus glared at his friend with a look that said, 'See if I tell you anything, ever again.'

"Was it a good k-kisser?" Violet snorted, and continued laughing at the mental picture he had conjured up in his mind.

Betsy smacked Violet on the arm, she could tell that Brutus was going to leave, if he were made the butt of Violet's jokes any longer. "I am sure t'was a perfectly lovely penguin, Brutus. As to what it means, I have no idea." Betsy thought for a moment, "Have you been reading any books that may have put it into your mind?" Betsy asked, as Violet quickly contained his mirth.

He then gave Brutus a teasing grin, that let him know this was not the end he would hear of it.

Brutus glared at Violet, then turned to Betsy, "There is not a thing I can think of that would have me getting the amorous part of a bird."

Violet snorted again, but managed not to laugh out loud this time.

"My Papa used to say, that dreams are either God speaking to us, or our subconscious minds telling us something. Are you normally able to remember your dreams?" Betsy was not going to let Violet distract her from Brutus' wonderings.

"Only occasionally." Brutus thought harder, "Most of the time not, but this time, I was so saddened that the siren had disappeared, I woke myself. I did not want to tell her I could not have a love affair with a bird." Brutus answered Betsy honestly, right before glaring at Violet again, daring him to laugh at him once more.

Violet raised his hands in the air and gave Brutus a look that said, 'It was your dream, not mine."

Brutus was mildly amused at Vi, but then turned back to Betsy. "Why in the world would she turn into a penguin?" He seemed genuinely distressed. The siren must have made quite an impression upon him to upset him so.

"Mayhap, time will tell, Brutus. Dreams can be powerful things, affecting us very deeply sometimes, I can not think of any reason your mind made her change into such as that, however." Betsy shook her head, having no real answers for him.

"I just want the siren back." Brutus said sulkily, into his coffee cup, "She was perfect." He bemoaned the fact he had lost her in the dream.

"A perfect penguin." Violet said, under his breath, out the side of his mouth to Betsy.

Betsy tried not to laugh, as she jabbed Vi in the ribs, then she gave Brutus a stunning smile, to show she was still on his side.

Violet oooomphed, and rubbed at his ribs, yet he still grinned at the funny breakfast conversation.